


Discovering Love

by karalynevans



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursleys, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Amortentia, Angst, BAMF Pansy Parkinson, Becuase the Dursleys Deserve to Die in a Hole, Cedric Diggory Lives, Depression, Draco Malfoy is a Flirt, Fluff, Ginny Weasley Bashing, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Good Slytherins, Hermione Granger Bashing, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts Fourth Year, Homophobia, Hufflepuff Exists Too, Lucius Malfoy's A+ Parenting, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Molly Weasley Bashing, Multi, Mutual Pining, Not at first though, Pining Draco Malfoy, Pining Harry Potter, Rape/Non-con Elements, Ron Weasley Bashing, Slytherin Harry Potter, So is Kara Lyn Evans, Suicide Attempt, They Aren't Related to Lily Evans Potter, Triwizard Tournament, Xavier James Evans is in Hufflepuff, Yule Ball (Harry Potter), first task, innuendos, second task, third task
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-07-10 09:08:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15946211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karalynevans/pseuds/karalynevans
Summary: Harry Potter hates his life. At least the one that he's forced to live. Being the boy who lived is exhausting, and going back home is, if possible, even worse. Having friends who really don't understand, or care for that matter, only make things worse. But when Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff, and Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin, see him trying to escape, he tells them everything, and he gets two new friends.Maybe, eventually, he gets love too.This is my first work, don't bash me too bad.





	1. Befriending Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pansy and Cedric find Harry, an extremely upset boy, in a corridor. They decide to do something about it.

"Oi, Pretty-Boy, get out of the way!  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD I PUBLISHED THIS I AM SO SORRY  
> Anyone who has read this in the past 2 days I am rewriting. And I DID NOT MEAN for you guys to read this. I am still working everything out, and this chapter was SUPPOSED to be about Pansy and Cedric meeting Harry and befriending him. Hence the title
> 
> DO NOT HEED THE WORDS IN THE CHAPTER. AO3 is being wonky, so I guess I published it.
> 
> ALL YOU GUYS WHO ARE READING THIS I LOVE YOU ALL!


	2. Dismissing Harry

"Well, my boy, is there anything else that you need? Any concerns with Mr. Diggory, or Mr. Malfoy, or Professor Snape?" Dumbledore and Harry were sitting in the esteemed headmaster's office, while Dumbledore was sucking on a lemon drop. Despite Dumbledore's offer, Harry had refused, not wanting something else to distract him from the telling of his tale. Harry didn't want a distraction from the reason why he showed up at Albus Dumbledore's office.

"Well,  _Dumbledore_ , is that not enough concern for you to at least scrape together a few charges?" Harry's voice was calm, as was his expression, but the fury in his emerald green eyes was a dead giveaway.

Harry was desperate at this point for a change in lifestyle. Since, according to Sirius Black, Dumbledore was his magical guardian (whatever that meant), so he was in charge of his guardianship, and where he lived for that matter. And Harry was desperate for a new living arrangement...

_FLASHBACK_

_"Hermione, I have to go! I need to get to Dumbledore's-"_

_"Harry!" Ron's and Hermione's twin expressions of shock and indignation were almost ironic, considering the only two things they had in common was the fact that they were both Gryffindors and they had an unhealthy worship for Dumbledore._

_It was ridiculous._

_But Harry didn't care what either of them were saying, didn't care that he was supposed to say Professor Dumbledore, he wanted to go to Dumbledore. Sirius was offering for Harry to live with him. And even though Harry hadn't known Sirius for that long, James and Lily Potter trusted him, and that was enough for Harry._

_Dumbledore had said that he was willing to let Harry live with someone else if they wanted to take him in, and they legally could. Harry had no idea that Dumbledore could shut down anyone who wanted to take in the virtually unloved orphan, and he would, because Harry Potter having a loving guardian was not OK for the elderly wizard's plans. Harry, however didn't know that, so he couldn't close the loophole. Good thing Dumbledore had sealed the wills when he had, otherwise Dumbledore would deal with an extremely pissed off Severus Snape._

_Yea, Severus would be pretty mad._

_So when Harry Potter, the boy in question, busted through the cozy room with a rushed "Chocolate Frogs!" and sprinted for the only available chair, with a piece of parchment in his hands, Dumbledore was confused and concerned for what was to come._

_"Dumbledore, I've found someone to adopt me!" The boy's obvious excitement permeated through the room, causing Fawkes to trill happily at the slight glow. The golden glow of the office only showed up when there was a powerful wizard with pure intents in the room, someone with pure hope, someone who had the opportunity to defeat the current Headmaster if the circumstances so wished it._

_While Dumbledore was nervous, because the boy could defeat him, Fawkes was extremely enthusiastic, because he could escape the Headmaster who had bound the phoenix so harshly to him, and he could return to the school._

_"Well, can't you stay with your relatives? What's wrong with them?"_

_Harry took a deep breath. He didn't really want to go there, he didn't think that Dumbledore would really think he had to use that kind of knowledge._

_But Harry might as well get it out in a flippant manner, to shock Dumbledore even more. Being flippant really was his charm._

_"Considering they beat me, starve me, and raped me once in the summer before third year, I really don't want to stay with them."_

_Dumbledore promptly choked on his lemon drop._

_"Do you not understand? They_ abused _me. Do you get off on that or something? Because I didn't think that the Boy-Who-Lived should be subjected to what I was subjected to."_

 _Dumbledore was silent. He didn't know it was really going to be that bad. He always knew it wasn't ideal, but_ rape _? Wasn't that a bit extreme?_

_"I was first starved in the cupboard. They probably started rationing when I was three. I knew that Dudley had another bedroom, but I didn't know that I should have had one too until I was about 6, so when I started school. That's when I learned my name too. Isn't that unbelievable?" Harry paused, trying to catch his breath, "I started getting forced to do all the chores relatively early about that age too. Maybe a little earlier. I don't think I ever had a moment to learn how to cook. It was either I did it right or I got burned. Obviously I learned pretty quickly!"_

_Dumbledore tried to interrupt, because there was a very shocked fifth-year Hufflepuff hearing every word. However, Harry didn't care._

_"I think I first got beat when I was....7. Yeah, I was 7. I was going to school. I was running away from Dudley and his gang. And I ended up on the top of the school somehow. I got away! Vernon found out though, and that was probably one of the most painful days of my life. But the worst was definitely the summer after second year. I gave Ron my number, and he didn't know how to use the telephone. His call was very loud, and it irritated Vernon to no end. He really nailed in the coffin when he said he was a friend of mine. I don't have a cellular device, so it called the home phone. It-it was-it was so...painful. The whole time Vernon was telling me that I was worthless, and everyone who told me I wasn't was lying to me. I guess he wasn't all wrong, was he? You don't care. I don't think Ron cares, or Ginny, or Hermione for that matter. I think Cedric Diggory was one of the few to care, and he saw me_ once _, and he showed concerned. I had to go to him, you know. So I didn't lose my fucking mind over the indignity. Over the shame. Over how dirty, how filthy, how used I felt. I never told him the truth, but I told him I felt wrong. He's helped me so much since he ran into me second year. I really can't even imagine where I'd be without him. Probably the next Voldemort."_

 _"It's never gotten better since when I got my letter, only worse, and I can't_ see _why you won't do anything about it!"_

_Harry's eyes flashed as he waited for Dumbledore to answer._

_FLASHBACK_

"...No. I don't understand the primal urge for you to lie, but I am sure that your relatives care about you. They may have a firm hand when it comes to punishment, but you must remember that you still love them, and they still love you. Perhaps I shall send them a letter about your disobedience and lies, so they are less frivolous with you, and allow you less privileges. As well as-"

"If the Dursleys allowed me any less privileges, then I would be living out on the street as a common whore."

"Harry!" Cedric had tear tracks clear on his face, shock and pain evident in his stance and expression. Also a slight bit of amusement, because even though Cedric was a prefect and had to set a good example, that remark was too funny.

"I might get more than average, with my eyes, and my gender, and being the Boy-Who-Lived to _suck cock_. Wonder what the Daily Prophet would say."

Cedric was dissolving into laughter, his sides shaking with laughter. Dumbledore was pressing his lips together in an alarming similarity to Professor McGonagall's face when Draco made a crude joke paired with a wink at someone different, usually Harry. Solely to see the look on Ron's face. Right?

Draco was alarmingly changing ever since second year. Unlike his Slytherin counterparts, Draco had left Harry alone after the dementor incident, and slowly, so did the rest of Slytherin. Draco also changed with his treatment of Harry. Constantly glancing at Harry's eyes for the first month, and the protective Hufflepuff that walked with him at all times. Draco later started making small jokes, after realizing suddenly that the twins didn't rib him for a laugh. A lot of them were about Quidditch, a lot of them were about the Slytherin-Gryffindor rivalry, and about their own rivalry by default. And a  _hell_ of a lot of them were innuendos.

Harry didn't get the first one (at the time) that Draco said, which was almost 7 months ago. Until he did, obviously.

_Draco smirked as Harry brushed by him to get his potions ingredients. Harry was relatively bored, because his day was relatively boring. Draco hadn't even continued with their stupid rivalry. So Harry was pretty damn shocked when Draco turned him by his shoulder and forced Harry within 2 inches of Draco's face. In the damp, cold closet, he could practically feel the heat radiating off Draco's body._

_"So, Harry, I've heard you're pretty good at Quidditch." His voice was low, laced with something Harry didn't understand._

_Duh. The two boys played each other in Quidditch all the time. Harry knew his "no shit, Sherlock" expression was on his face._

_"So why don't you try riding my broom sometime?" His volume was still so quiet Harry could barely hear._

_Harry, confused said (rather loudly), "I've got my own broom. Why would I ride yours?"_

_Harry then walked back to his seat, oblivious to the snickering of the Slytherins (and quite a few of the Gryffindors) and the gaping of Ron, Hermione, and Professor Snape. Harry still had no idea what Draco was talking about until Seamus snickered under his breath and whispered, "Snagged a nice one, didn't you Harry?"_

_Harry's_  face _suddenly flamed at what Draco had meant, and what Seamus said consequently. He sent a glare at the blonde, who responded with a flirty wink. Pansy dragged Draco's head down, whispering frantically with the blonde and Blaise, who was also sporting a rather large smirk. Ron and Hermione were gaping, horrified, at the raven haired teen. Snape was very much looking like he wanted to be left alone to die in solitude._

_Much to everyone's amusement, Harry did not speak much for the rest of class, instead choosing to bury his face in his hands._

Returning back to reality once again, Cedric asked him what he was thinking about.

Harry paused, giving a  _very_ flirty wink that would make Cedric question his intentions if he didn't know what Harry was doing, and waited in the pause, watching Dumbledore squirm.

"Draco."

In a lower voice, he said, "The time Dr-Malfoy flirted with me in Potions and the Golden Duo flipped their shits."

Cedric snorted. "That's everyday, tell me the specific time." Dumbledore was very confused. What was so funny about Mr. Malfoy that they would both find it so innately hilarious that they shouldn't tell him anything?

Harry continued. "When Seamus told me I was damn lucky he was giving me any attention whatsoever, and Snape looked like he wanted to die."

Cedric's symmetric face had a perfectly arched eyebrow on it now. Harry thought whoever managed to snag  _his_ attentions was really lucky. He knew that Cedric was very ...traditional with his affections, unlike Harry, who happened to have crushes on the weirdest people, like  _Cedric_ , and  _Terry Boot_ , but also Cho, and Parvarti.  _What do I like_ _?_ Harry thought,  _what kind of person do I love? Will I have a support system to chase who I desire?_

"Now he just looks resigned, like he'll never be rid of it. Which he won't. Draco never shuts up either. I've started to cast Silencing Charms on his letters. They really are ingenious, speaking, but only to the receiver. To anyone else, it looks like a blank parchment, or a picture. His intentions behind the inventions were less than appropriate, however. The last one he gave me...you should really hear that one yourself." Harry laughed, a low, easy laugh that scared the shit out of Dumbledore, making the old man wonder, sinking deep into his thoughts and concerns.

 _What did the letter say? Should I be concerned? Is Harry going to be seduced to the dark side? Would he really be that perverse and unnatural to have_ those _interests? Is the Boy-Who-Lived...gay? Bloody disgusting, that is._

Cedric glared suddenly at the Headmaster, noticing the distaste and contempt. Harry could not for the life of him guess why, being the naive idiot he is.

"Why don't you believe him?"

Oh.

Waves of anger rushed back, mostly founded by hurt, resulting in a scathing glare that should have killed Dumbles on the spot. Dumbledore only gave him a look of pure contempt that said, " _Nothing that you will do will change my mind."_

It was obvious that Dumbledore wasn't going to do anything about his situation, even if he thought that Harry was telling the truth, even if he believed him, even if he  _knew_.

Cedric realized this first, sighing softly, and said "Harry. Let's go."

Without another word, the two swept from the office, the glow leaving with it.


	3. Provoking Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry finally giving Ginny whats coming to her.  
> Thoughts are in italics, and flashbacks will be in italics and marked.

"Harry!"

Harry is sick and tired of being yelled at to listen to him. Ron and Hermione had done it that morning, when they had wanted his attention after ignoring him all summer. Ignoring the couple was not working, as they attempted to  _stun_ him to get his attention. But ignoring Ginny was very easy compared to Hermione, or heaven forbid, Molly Weasley. The 3 had a habit of annoying the SHIT out of Harry. To a point where he was considering shoving one of them off the train. Especially Ginny. She thought that she was attractive-honestly she looked like a pig trying not to shit herself when she was attempting to be coy. It was gross. Unlike Draco. She could learn a few lessons from that boy, he didn't look like he was trying to blink some dust out of his eyes when he was flirting, he looked attractive.

_Where the_ fuck _did that thought come from? I'm straight. Kind of. And it's Malfoy. I shouldn't be having these...thoughts._

"HARRY!" Ginny's face was reddening rather quickly, it was quickly matching her scarlet hair.

Harry continued walking, much to Ginny's indignation and Cedric's amusement. Draco was watching as well, completely shocked. It was very unlike ~~Harry~~ Potter to ignore someone, especially as obnoxious as Weaslette. Usually ~~Harry~~ Potter snapped back, righteous fury dancing in his eyes (which really _should_ be illegally attractive), spitting out a bloody speech that should take 5 days to prepare, but took the bloody green-eyed Gryffindor 2 seconds figure out. The speech usually worked wonders, forcing Draco to walk away, shoulders high to discourage any humiliation. Plus, that girl's flirting left a _lot_ to be desired. It was unrefined, sloppy, and concentrated  _way_ too hard on the eyes. It was bloody embarrassing, not to mention hilarious. He snorted, easily catching the pureblood's attentions. While Cedric's eyes were wide with shock, Ginny's were narrowed with fury. And Draco loved how she strained to keep control at the station. He thought that she would walk away, and not violate pureblood customs by snapping at Draco, or at Potter, Draco's rival who had a deep red blush that was hilarious to provoke.

"Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus." The bespectacled boy turned around, eyes wide with fear, remembering the translation.

_Never tickle a sleeping dragon._

Ginny, however was not a sleeping dragon.

No, Ginny the dragon was definitely awake. And angry. And _still_ attempting to be coy! Did she not get the hint?

"Malfoy." Ginny said, her face twisting with disgust, clearly showing her hatred of the blonde Slytherin, "You're only jealous."

"Why would I be jealous of a blood traitor, and a slutty one at that? You can tell he's not responding for a reason. It's because he DOESN'T LIKE YOU. So give up."

"Why would I give up? He's obviously attracted to me. YOU explain why he kissed me yesterday. YOU explain why I am his girlfriend, while you are his rival. YOU explain why he told Ron to get the fuck out of his room while WE were both in there, ca-"

Harry suddenly interrupted.

"Ew, please don't tell me that you were going to say canoodling, because that would be fucking disgusting, getting it up with a 12 year old."

Ginny paused, shocked.

"Do you get off on lying to people, or taking things out of content. I told Ron to get the FUCK out of my room because he was  _watching me get CHANGED_. YOU were not there. He then told me that YOU should help with that. And the fact that YOU would be my girlfriend is probably one of the most DISGUSTING things I have EVER heard in my life. I did not kiss you yesterday, although you tried. You failed, mind you, and be glad you did, otherwise I would have charged you with sexual assault."

Harry took a deep breath, appearing to calm himself down, oblivious to the extremely red faces of Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

"I don't know why you think that Ron, Hermione, and you have ANY say in my life, because you don't. You are not my mother, and you never will be. Even though you have tried your best to LOOK like her, Merlin knows why. It certainly doesn't attract me to you, it does the exact opposite, actually. Just in case you didn't get the memo, I don't have an Oedipus complex. I'm not _that_ diseased."

Cedric suddenly choked, looking sick. Draco wrinkled his nose. Pansy and Daphne both heard the last bit and broke out into giggles, barely audible to anyone other then the two laughing.

"Then what is your type, Harry?"

Good question, Ginny. _Three cheers for you,_ Pansy thought fiercely, hoping Ginny was a decent Legilimens, but knowing that she wasn't,  _sarcasm oozing from each one._

"Definitely blonde. Tall, smart, sarcastic. I definitely like them to be decent at Quidditch, too. Either gen-" Harry cut himself off, horrified on what he had almost revealed.

Daphne and Pansy both looked at Draco, slightly surprised, as did Tracey, before trading smirks. Pansy smirked at the two Slytherins, loving that she could read Potter like no one else, she knew a lot of his struggles, because, unexpectedly, he decided to confide in her when he had lost his shit one day, the day of the dementor. Ever since then, Pansy had been able to read him incredibly well, including the desire in his eyes when he glanced at Draco, the desire that he probably didn't know he had. Yes, Pansy knew, Harry's heart belonged to Draconis Lucius Malfoy, completely and fully.

However, Draco seemed to NOT know that, and had continued to lavish Harry with affection and softly murmured phrases throughout third year. It was not unhelpful, however, so Pansy had allowed Draco to continue.

"Which house?"

"Dream on, Cedric, like I would tell you."

"Still dreaming about a year ago, when you told me you moved on from-"

"Don't finish that sentence, we both know you like your bits where you are." Harry paused, watching Cedric's teasing glare. "So fuck off, please."

Ginny looked incensed at being ignored.

"YOU LIKE BLONDES!" 

Harry glanced, startled. "Yes, I do, the light color is especially refreshing, and doesn't contrast with-"

"I'M NOT BLONDE!"

"Yes, I've noticed. You look like a redhead to me."

"GREENGRASS! LOONY! I'LL MURDER YOU BOTH!"

"For Christ's sake, I'm not into either of them!"

Silence swept through the tiny little compartment. Cedric was still snickering under his breath.

"I can be into blondes without being into girls, for the love of Merlin-"

Ginny heard this and gasped rather loudly.

"Ah, shit, that came out wrong, I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I definitely desire girls, I promise. Why does it matter to you? You aren't my keeper, it really isn't any of your business."

Draco gaped. What the _hell_?

"I can desire whoever the hell I want to! And EVEN IF I was under a love potion, it would NEVER be you! So let go of your delusions, because Draco is right! I don't like you! I desire you about as much as I desire Ron! And that is VERY little, because he fits NONE of the circumstances I preferred! Plus, he is jealous as HELL. He isn't right for me, and neither are you. I need someone who ISN'T a bitch, who ISN'T someone coming after me for money. I would prefer for the person who I love to be a funny person, like the twins, but loyal, like Cedric. I would like them to be sharp and witty, like Luna, but down-to-earth, like Neville. I would like for them to NOT be you, Ginevra Weasley, or anyone like you, like Cho."

Cedric's eyes widened further. Damn, he was going to have to keep looking. Apparently Cho Chang was as jealous as they come. 

Wait.  _Draco?_   What happened to Harry calling him Malfoy? 

"So you can do me a favor and leave me the hell alone!" Harry sighed, and got up. "I'm leaving. Good luck with your bargains getting Hannah Abbott this story, Daphne."

The boy left the compartment, sighing and shaking his head.

Daphne and Pansy, smirking, left the compartment after him, searching for Hannah with gossip gold.

Ron, who was listening in the neighboring compartment, glanced at Hermione, shock in his eyes. He didn't know why, but he just HAD to get to Harry somehow, get him to apologize for what he said, and get the two to be friends again.

But Hermione understood what the glance really meant.

War.


	5. Seeing Harry

Harry was eating dinner, barely listening to Ron prattle on about Quidditch. Hermione, on his left, was glaring at Harry, for whatever reason. Harry didn't know.

Harry was pretty sore from his relatives, having them lock him up in the cupboard all summer. His stupid relatives _beat_ him too. It really was too bad that Harry couldn't use magic, or Harry would have used the AK without a second thought. He knew it was bad to wish death on someone that much, but the Dursleys really had gone too far that summer. Harry could barely eat without feeling sick, and the other two parts of the Golden Trio had ignored him all summer, and ignored him while he attempted to talk to them on the train. Eventually he had given up, and went to another compartment, which had held Cedric Diggory, Kara Lyn Evans, and Xavier James Evans, her twin brother. The two boys had talked eagerly to him about Quidditch and the World Cup, while Kara Lyn had sat on his lap, allowing Harry to braid her hair.

Pansy had walked in at that point, followed by Draco, Blaise, and Millicent. Harry had tensed at that point, thinking that Draco would humiliate him at that point, or Cedric would get to his senses and kick him out of the compartment.

Neither option happened, however, because Pansy started talking before Draco could even open his mouth.

"Wow, Potter, I didn't know you could braid hair! Where did you learn?"

Harry's worried face suddenly broke out into a brilliant smile, melting the heart of one Draco Malfoy. Draco, who had planned on insulting the Gryffindor, suddenly felt his retort leave his head, replaced by a request.

"Potter, can you braid my hair, when you're done with Kara Lyn's? If Pansy doesn't beat me to it, I mean."

"Okay." Harry's smile remained, if possible getting wider. Kara Lyn had smirked, moving over so Draco could sit down, allowing Harry to braid his hair.

"HARRY!" Hermione looked irate, furious because the Potter was ignoring her.

Harry looked at her again, suddenly blushing. "Yeah, Hermione?"

"How come you didn't answer my question?"

Harry was not listening, and only offered a sheepish smile. "I wasn't listening. What was your question?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed further. What was Harry on about, not listening to her? Didn't he know that good friends listened to their other friends at all times?

"I asked you if you were interested in someone, you were daydreaming all day."

"Uh, no, I'm fine where I am, thank you."

"Do you have somebody at home?" Ron's curiosity was barely masking the contempt he held in his voice. "Because you seemed awful cozy with Evans on the ride here. She was on your lap!"

Harry, exasperated, tried to interrupt, but Ron didn't allow him to, instead plowing on.

"Or Malfoy, for crying out loud. He's a Death Eater! Not to mention he's a _boy_! Next thing you know, he'll be shagging you on the fucking table! Don't you know that poofters aren't natural?"

Harry was pretty much shocked. Considering the fact he was STRAIGHT, thank you very much!

Sorta straight, anyway.

"You're parents would be so disappointed in you. I don't understand how wizards can fucking deal with it! That's probably the one thing right with the muggle world, they don't tolerate faggots like you!"

Hermione had attempted to interrupt, but Ginny gave her a look, effectively silencing her. The two shared a smirk that didn't go unnoticed by Harry, and let Ron berate Harry however the hell he wanted to. And Ron was almost done. He had one more blow, however, that Harry didn't think he would use.

"Has Malfoy asked your uncle Vernon for tips? If not, he probably should, considering your ugly, depressed self probably _liked_ it!"

That was the last straw.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! I DID _NOT_ TELL YOU THAT SO YOU COULD SHOUT IT TO THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD!"

"Did you tell me because you wanted _me_ to have tips too?"

"WHAT THE FUCK? I TOLD YOU SO YOU COULD GET ME OUT OF THERE, AND LET ME HAVE A FUCKING **_HOME_**!"

"Sorry, faggot, Mum doesn't allow your kind in my house."

Harry was trembling, he was so mad. On the inside, he felt a great depression in his heart. Another place that wouldn't accept him? Another place where he would get abused endlessly, this time for liking wizards instead of witches, instead of just being a wizard in the first place.

"You've got to be shitting me, Harry," Hermione's face was disgusted, like he didn't want to be near him. The bushy-haired girl tried again, letting disgust into her ugly drawl. "You're a _fairy_?"

Harry was shocked. He couldn't talk. He barely knew himself, so how could he answer their question?

The two Gryffindors took that as a yes.

"How?" Ron asked. "How can you be the Saviour of the Wizarding World if you're too busy staring at You-Know-Who's arse to be able to finish him off?"

"Ew," Harry could not even dignify that with a response. "Nobody in their right mind would have any of those feelings. That's kinda messed up, considering he's 70 years old. Sorry to disappoint you Ron, but that is gross."

"I'd tell you to die, but not even the greatest depths of hell would want you to go there, and nobody, not even _Malfoy_ should be graced with your presence."

That broke Harry more than anything else.

Harry was severely depressed, and it should of shocked nobody why. His parents were dead, for crying out loud, and nobody even tried to be a substitute. His family beat him, starved him, and his uncle even raped him. Petunia had done nothing to stop this, and neither did any one of his primary school teachers, because they all were too busy believing the stupid rumors that his Aunt Petunia told everyone, that he was a liar and a cheat, so he did a shitty job in school, though he got perfect scores on his homework.

Hogwarts wasn't any better, with Malfoy bullying him in public, Ron and Hermione bullying him in private, and nobody standing up for him. It didn't really help that Snape bullied him endlessly, giving him a Poor when he should have gotten an Outstanding, and Dreadfuls and Trolls for anything less than perfection.

But worst of all, he had told Dumbledore EVERYTHING that had happened, and instead of being very concerned, he had told him not to lie so much to a professor, because even though he might not get everything he wanted, he shouldn't be ungrateful, and that Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley all loved him very much.

Wasn't THAT a big load of centaur shit.

So he had told Ron and Hermione, who seemed very upset and understanding at the time, but obviously weren't, because what Ron said HURT.

So Harry left.

A man on a mission, trying to get away from Ron, from Hermione, from the Great Hall, from the giant clusterfuck known as the Wizarding World, from life.

To death, because Harry was sick and tired of living.

He grabbed a piece of parchment, and began to write.

_Dear whoever the fuck cares enough to read this letter,_

_I'm sorry, OK? I'm sorry for whatever I did to make everyone hate me. I didn't know that I was this undesirable in life, I didn't know that life was really as hard as it was for me. I only hope that anyone with a decent character isn't offended._

_All I wanted was a family. I wanted someone to take care of me, to love me, to not beat me when I tripped over Dudley's extended foot. To not starve me when I missed a speck of dirt on Number 4 Privet Drive's esteemed driveway. To not rape me when they had too much alcohol, or needed to get it out of their systems because Petunia didn't put out enough._

_I guess I wasn't grateful for what I had, or loving enough for anyone who wanted a chance but were pushed away by ~~my friends~~ my needy, awful self, and whatever downsides came with being friends with the boy-who-lived._

_Lived to die, I guess. Congrats, Voldemort. You did just enough to assure that my blood wasn't on your hands. I'm the bad guy now, I guess. For escaping while I had the chance._

_I apologize to Draco, for not taking his hand in first year. I guess you were right. I mixed with the wrong sort. I didn't make the right choices, and I'm going to pay for that._   _I_ _guess I have, every day._

_I thank everyone who accompanied me on the train compartment today, because I needed comfort, and you all provided it. It doesn't matter that I ran to you, it's that you accepted me in the first place. Which is better that what my best friends did, I guess._

_To Ron and Hermione, sorry for yelling, but I offer you a big fat FUCK YOU. I don't really know what I did to offend you, but I don't think I really care enough to figure that out._

_I haven't officially made a will, but all my stuff can go to Cedric. He truly deserves it, and he's the only one of the 7 on the compartment that I kind of knew before I saw him today._

_And to anyone who would of noticed if I was depressed, or abused, or suicidal, please, take a moment to consider if your boss is trustworthy. Because he knew. And he didn't tell you._

_An extra note to Dumbledore: my letter said "Cupboard Under the Stairs". How did you not notice that something was wrong before?_

_It really is too bad that you are going to discover all of this after I am dead. But can you please take a sweep through all the houses to see if anyone else is even remotely close with what I'm dealing with. I, personally, would start with Draco Malfoy, because his father is a complete asshole. Everyone has one, some people are one, I guess._

_Another note, to anyone in particular: If a 14 year old boy is expected to defeat one of the strongest wizards to walk the face of the earth, you need someone else running the Auror program._

_So I must say goodbye, or fuck off, depending on who you are. Because you do know who you are._

_Sincerely, Harry Potter._

With that, Harry picked up the note and ran up to the Astronomy Tower.

When he got there, he looked around. Seeing a table, he placed the lengthy note down on it. Looking around one last time, he said goodbye to the living world. 

Then he jumped.


	6. Defending Harry

Draco's shocked expression when Harry left was  _nothing_ compared to Kara Lyn's face when she caught exactly what Ron said.

 _"I'd tell you to die, but not even the greatest depths of hell would want you there, and nobody, not even_ Malfoy _should be graced with your presence."_

Cedric moved before Kara Lyn could even get up, an expression of pure fury painted on his face. Cedric barely noticed Pansy at his side, the only thing signifying that she was there was the heat radiating off her skin.

Ron glared at the two looking at him with a look of pure contempt on his face.

"Do you want to defend the Chosen One too? More like the Chosen One to Suck Cock."

Neville scooted away from the vindictive Gryffindor, finding someone to sit by who wasn't a humongous asshole. He decided to sit by Dean, who could be really nice, unlike Ron or Ginny.

Cedric wondered how the  _hell_ Harry had managed to be  _friends_ with this bigot. Even though he pretended he wasn't, he obviously wasn't as open as his dad about Muggles, and he was _clearly_ was discriminated against homosexuals, or anyone in the LGTBQ+ movement. The redhead was probably racist, too, but there was really only one way to find out at that point. 

"Xavier James! Kara Lyn! Over here!"

Kara Lyn immediately jumped up, quickly moving to stand next to Cedric. Her pretty curls bounced as she started jogging over to stand by the paler brunette, Xavier immediately following. Their hazelnut colored skin stood out compared to Cedric's light beige tone.

Draco smirked, grabbed Blaise by the arm, and literally dragged him to stand next to Pansy. Luna abandoned the rest of her table to stand next to Xavier James, someone who she actually liked.

Cedric smiled at the people around him.

"Yes, I rather would like to defend Harry Potter, or as you have dubbed him-"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"

Everyone looked at Draco, the Ice King of Slytherin. Nobody expected him to lose control.

"WEASEL, IMPOSSIBLY, YOU HAVE DEFILED YOUR FAMILY NAME EVEN MORE THAN YOUR FAMILY HAS ALREADY!"

Said Weasel in question looked on in shock.

"HOW THE  _FUCK_ CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF?"

Hermione attempted to interrupt, but Draco's deathly glare froze her on the spot.

"HOW CAN EITHER OF YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELVES, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW THAT HARRY IS ABUSED, AND YOU DID _NOTHING_ ABOUT IT? HE TOLD YOU THAT HIS UNCLE **RAPED** HIM, AND YOU DID NOTHING ABOUT IT!"

Parvarti looked like she was going to cry, because she was so shocked, so hurt, so _ashamed._

"IF YOU THINK THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE YOU CAN BLAME ARE MUGGLES, YOU CAN THINK AGAIN! BECAUSE A  _WIZARD_ PUT HIM WITH THE DURSLEYS, AND A _WIZARD_ THOUGHT FIT TO HUMILIATE HIM BECAUSE OF WHO HE LOVES, AND IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE TRUE! A WIZARD AND TWO WITCHES DECIDED TO ABANDON HIM! I, A WIZARD, DECIDED TO BULLY HIM! A WIZARD DECIDED TO BULLY HIM IN CLASSES, DELIBERATELY LOWERED THE GRADES ON HIS ESSAYS AND POTIONS! I READ THEM MYSELF, THEY WERE BETTER THAN MINE, AND A HUNDRED TIMES BETTER THAN HERMIONE'S!"

Draco decided to stop, taking a breath, trying to pull himself together and utterly failing.

"BUT HE'S STILL THE BETTER PERSON, STILL A **_THOUSAND_ ** TIMES BETTER THAN YOU! HE NEVER INSTIGATED ANY OF THE FIGHTS WE HAD, HE ALWAYS DID WHAT WAS RIGHT! HE SAVED YOUR FUCKING SISTER FROM CERTAIN DEATH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, AND YOU TURNED YOUR BACK ON HIM! I SUGGEST YOU DON'T USE AMORTENTIA ON HIM ANYMORE, OR I SWEAR TO GOD, AZKABAN WILL NOT BE ENOUGH OF A PUNISHMENT FOR WHAT I DO TO YOU!"

Hermione gasped, shocked, and so did Cedric, but for a completely different reason.

Cedric whispered once into Pansy's ear. The Slytherin's eyes widened, and the two ran out of the hall, not caring who they were trampled, not caring who was in their path.

Draco, seeing them leave, continued, oblivious to Dumbledore making his way toward him. The Ice Prince was completely focused on making his speech count.

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU ALL, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN'T EVEN GET NEAR HIM! IF YOU KNEW WHAT TYPE OF PAIN HE'S IN, WHICH NOBODY DOES BUT HARRY, YOU WOULD PROBABLY DIE WITH SHAME. I KNOW I'M PRETTY DAMN CLOSE TO DOING SO, BUT I SWEAR TO GOD, THE ONLY REASON THAT I'M NOT KILLING YOU THREE MYSELF IS THAT HARRY SHOULD GET THAT PRIVILEGE, HARRY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PURSUE JUSTICE ON HIS OWN! AND IF HARRY WHO I THINK HE IS, YOU THREE WILL BE VIRTUALLY UNHARMED! I-I-I HOPE YOU THREE DIE IN A FUCKING HOLE!"

With that, Draco burst into tears, crying on Luna's shoulder. The third year supported Draco's weight as best as she could, as the boy continued crying on the young third year.

Xavier James scanned the hall, dismayed with what he saw. The Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs were reacting as Xavier thought they would-crying and pure shock. Quite a few were very angry, and not a single smile was seen at either table.

The Slytherins were all focused on a single point on the table, a parchment. Theodore Nott was the head of the group, asking for ideas and writing them down, depending on what they were. Two redheaded Gryffindors, the Weasley twins, were fielding ideas as well, furious expressions on their faces.

The Gryffindors were a different story.

Quite a few were angry, Neville being one of them, Parvarti being another. But the VAST MAJORITY of the table were looking at Draco with doubt on their faces, looking at a very pale Ron Weasley for answers.

Well, that wouldn't do.

Kara Lyn started first. 

"HOW THE _FUCK_ IS THE  _FIRST PERSON_ IN THIS SCHOOL TO PROTEST, OR DO _ANYTHING_ FOR THAT MATTER HARRY POTTER'S **RIVAL**? HIS WORST ENEMY HIS AGE IS THE FIRST PERSON TO GIVE RON _ANY_ SHIT OVER THE _BULLSHIT_ THAT HE SAID! YOU ALL SHOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN YOURSELVES, AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU ALL GIVE SOME THOUGHT OVER WHAT THE _GODDAMN FUCK_ YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE IF YOU CAN'T STOP A _BULLY_ FROM BEING A _FUCKING ASSHOLE_ TO SOMEONE WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR _SAVIOUR."_

Xavier James (who likes being called just Xavier) continued the rant.

"What about you, adults of the school? How can you consider yourselves teachers? You ignored the signs of abuse Harry showed. You didn't stop a duel from happening. You nurtured a goddamn rivalry. You hid something You-Know-Who was searching for in the _school_. You hired a fraud. You hired someone who was being possessed by You-Know-Who. You put dementors in the school. You allowed someone who was not a professional to heal Harry Potter. You allowed a 12 year old access to a  _basilisk_. You did not follow the rules of a suspension placed on you, and came back anyway. My mom was one of the people who signed that document. None of the governors were threatened. A convict made his way into the school 3 different times. Dementors invaded a Quidditch match. You are hosting a deadly tournament which teenagers are participating in. If Harry's not in it, I'll eat my fucking hat."

"How are any of you qualified professionals?"

Draco had stopped crying by then, but he was mortified, and looked up, his face finally back in control.

"I swear to fucking god," Draco started, clearly enjoying how Ron flinched,"if you don't have a suspension that's at least a month long by the time Harry's back, I will complain to the governors myself."

Poppy then got a Patronus from Cedric Diggory. Only two words came out of the Golden Retrievers mouth.

_"It's Harry."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!  
> Sorry for the cliffhanger.


	7. Finding Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am currently changing the timeline to make life more convenient for me (but not for Harry-sorry), so there will be some discreprencies  
> So sorry all of y'all!

Cedric, in the middle of Draco's speech, realized something.

_Harry's depressed. He's had enough bad things happen to him for anyone to give up. To quit._

_To die._

_What if he commits suicide?_

Cedric ignored Hermione's gasp, happy that Draco was quieting down a little bit. The sixth year Hufflepuff then leaned down to Pansy's ear.

"What if he gives up?"

Pansy's eyes widened.

"Well shit."

The two took off, completely unaware that there were people watching them. They almost plowed over a first year, and did plow over Professor Snape, who looked at them in shock, but moved over so they could continue their sprint out of the hall. The two sprinted up, both of them knowing where they were going, but neither of them spending any time wondering why they knew.

The staircase took a wrong turn and sent them to the Room of Requirement.

Cedric knew what to do, however, while Pansy did not.

The Hufflepuff was furiously pacing three times in front of the wall, thinking one thing.

_Get me to the Astronomy Tower! Get me to Harry! PLEASE DON'T LET HIM BE DEAD!_

The door suddenly popped into position, just in time for Pansy's patience.

Pansy swung the door open. 

There was a bunch of medical potions. And a chute.

As Pansy grabbed the potions, the two students shot downwards astonishingly quickly, but they didn't get sick.

When they got down there, they saw a boy falling towards them.

Cedric shouted _"Pulvinus!",_ but it was too little, too late, and Harry slammed into the ground, full force. Pansy winced, and Cedric flinched, and they both ran over to the fallen Gryffindor. He had quite a few broken bones, and a long, deep gash on his side, but he wasn't dead. Not yet, anyway, though the hope he would live was slim.

It was a miracle the Gryffindor didn't break his neck.

Cedric sent a Patronus to Poppy Pomfrey.

Pansy opened the book that came with the potions, and it had a list of healing spells. Not ready to panic, she started casting them, and pouring the potions down his throat.

Cedric caught the piece of paper that fluttered towards the ground.

It was a suicide note.

 _So he meant it,_ Cedric thought, shocked into silence.  _He wanted to die._

"Do you want to hear it, Pansy?" Cedric's voice was shaky, and cracked at the last word.

"Not particularly, but you have to read it."

So Cedric unrolled the parchment. It read:

_"Dear whoever the fuck cares enough to read this letter,"_

Cedric's eyes widened. He would have thought that Harry would have been less thoughtless. On the other hand, this was a suicide note. Who the fuck cares who reads it?

_"I'm sorry, OK? I'm sorry for whatever I did to make everyone hate me. I didn't know that I was this undesirable in life, I didn't know that life was really as hard as it was for me. I only hope that anyone with a decent character isn't offended."_

Someone choked very suddenly, it sounded like they choked on air. Cedric could see why, he was choking on tears himself. Beside him, Pansy gulped. 

_"All I wanted was a family. I wanted someone to take care of me, to love me, to not beat me when I tripped over Dudley's extended foot. To not starve me when I missed a speck of dirt on Number 4 Privet Drive's esteemed driveway. To not rape me when they had too much alcohol, or needed to get it out of their systems because Petunia didn't put out enough."_

Draco gasped. " _NO_ child should have to deal with that! V-Voldemort shouldn't deal with it. Neither should my father, and everyone knows how bad  _he_ is!"

Everyone looked at the blond, shocked. Nobody had heard him say Voldemort's name before, or insult his father. It was very shocking.

_"I guess I wasn't grateful for what I had, or loving enough for anyone who wanted a chance but were pushed away by ~~my friends~~  my needy, awful self, and whatever downsides came with being friends with the boy-who-lived."_

Xavier growled. Kara Lyn flinched. But it was Parvarti, teary eyed as she was, who asked, "If he wasn't loving enough, how fucking awful are the rest of us? We didn't allow him to get close..."

_"Lived to die, I guess. Congrats, Voldemort. You did just enough to assure that my blood wasn't on your hands. I'm the bad guy now, I guess. For escaping while I had the chance."_

Luna was, for once in her life, shocked. Not even the Seer had Seen how bad it would get, that he would congratulate Voldemort on not killing the Boy-Who-Lived himself. But, on the other hand, nobody thought it would get that bad.

 _"I apologize to Draco, for not taking his hand in first year. I guess you were right. I mixed with the wrong sort. I didn't make the right choices, and I'm going to pay for that._   _I_ _guess I have, every day."_

The blonde in question was crying on Blaise's shoulder, great shuddering sobs wracking through the lithe Pureblood's body. Underneath him, Blaise was trying so hard to keep it together, but it was almost impossible, because only Blaise and Pansy knew how deep that grief would go.

_"I thank everyone who accompanied me on the train compartment today, because I needed comfort, and you all provided it. It doesn't matter that I ran to you, it's that you accepted me in the first place. Which is better that what my best friends did, I guess."_

The 7 who accompanied the adorable raven haired boy as one of their own turned around, harshly glaring at the two who called themselves his best friends. Pansy was still trying to heal the boy, who was currently bleeding out.

Pansy's shaking form was joined by Madame Pomfrey, but Harry wouldn't stop bleeding.

_"To Ron and Hermione, sorry for yelling, but I offer you a big fat FUCK YOU. I don't really know what I did to offend you, but I don't think I really care enough to figure that out."_

Cedric barely restrained himself from throttling the duo, and Xavier restrained Kara Lyn from throwing a few punches. 

However, Crabbe and Goyle were not there in time to restrain Draco, who bitch-slapped Ron, like Hermione did to Draco in third year. In the corner of his eye, Cedric could see Snape adding points to Slytherin. And to  _Hufflepuff_. What had that house done to deserve that?

He then realized he was holding the Boy-Who-Lived's suicide note. That was probably why.

_"I haven't officially made a will, but all my stuff can go to Cedric. He truly deserves it, and he's the only one of the 7 on the compartment that I actually knew before I saw him today."_

Cedric's voice cracked at the word "deserves", and the word "today". How much had Millicent, Pansy, Draco, Blaise, Xavier, Kara Lyn, and he meant to Harry? How much had that choice encounter helped him with his demons?

How could  _Cedric_ deserve any of the stuff he got? Cedric was just a Hufflepuff.

That, however, could possibly be what he liked. Someone to love and comfort. Someone to listen. An anchor. But Cedric had been too late. 

_"And to anyone who would of noticed if I was depressed, or abused, or suicidal, please, take a moment to consider if your boss is trustworthy. Because he knew. And he didn't tell you."_

Beauxbatons sucked in a sudden breath, as one. Their headmaster KNEW. And he DIDN'T tell someone who could heal him. Wow. One blonde girl in particular, by the name of Fleur, she flipped her shit, and made sure that someone was there, so she could comfort them, someone close to 'Arry.

There!

The  _extremely_  handsome boy reading the wills. He had a strong posture, and extremely bright grey irises, hiding the tears in his eyes. The boy was forcing himself to be strong. The problem was he shouldn't have been the only one there. 

_"An extra note to Dumbledore: my letter said "Cupboard Under the Stairs". How did you not notice that something was wrong before?"_

Durmstrang this time sucked in a large breath this time. How the  _hell_ could  _anyone_ miss that? Miss that the letters the headmaster were addressing to the child were written to somewhere that should just be a boot cupboard. Where were these Dumbly-Dorr's morals? Viktor Krum vowed to murder this guy.

_"It really is too bad that you are going to discover all of this after I am dead. But can you please take a sweep through all the houses to see if anyone else is even remotely close with what I'm dealing with. Because I can tell you, even if it's a tenth of what I'm dealing with, it is absolute HELL. I, personally, would start with Draco Malfoy, because his father is a complete asshole. Everyone has one, some people are one, I guess."_

Draco was struggling to not break down again, but this time in shock. How had his nemesis spotted something that his best friends both missed. Because he wasn't wrong. His father was a class A asshole. And the only person who spotted that was his nemesis, someone who he had taken to flirting to, just because, and because when he fought back, it was ferocious, and it was beautiful.

It was honestly what attracted Draco to Harry. The pure will.

_"Another note, to anyone in particular: If a 14 year old boy is expected to defeat one of the strongest wizards to walk the face of the earth, you need someone else running the Auror program."_

Blaise snorted. That response was pure  _Harry_. Hilarious. And without a doubt a soul he would miss.

If the Gryffindor died, because the man had a lucky streak a thousand miles long, and knowing him, he might survive.

_"So I must say goodbye, or fuck off, depending on who you are. Because you do know who you are."_

_"Sincerely, Harry Potter."_

By then, Poppy been working hard on healing Harry, but this time with tears in her eyes. Cedric was openly sobbing, breaking down like Draco had, which would not be too shocking if you knew what house he was in, but shocking when you knew what kind of person he was.

The last time Cedric cried like that he was 10 years old, and it was because his younger sister died. Horribly.

Seven years later, the boy was bawling again, bawling like a baby, but this time is was because it was for someone he got to know and love for two years, and someone who he had idolized for 10.

Harry didn't deserve to die, not now. He deserved so much better then the hands that were dealt to him. He deserved better than Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He deserved to LIVE, not just survive.

The first years and second years had been forced to clear the hallways and into the dorms, as had the majority of the school. A lot of the third years left, but Ginny and Luna both didn't. Beauxbatons was also being forced to leave, but Fleur refused to go, instead latching her arm to an extremely distraught Cedric Diggory. The same happened with Durmstrang, Viktor decided to stay with Harry. Dumbledore attempted to interrupt, but thousands of freezing glares stopped him in his tracks.

Madame Pomfrey stared, proud, at the fourteen students that wouldn't abandon Mr. Potter, no matter what. They literally would not abandon him. No matter what. 

At that point, she knew that even if the boy had to participate in the tournament, he would have help.

He would have Cedric Diggory, a true Hufflepuff, true to his house, but able to take leadership all the same.

He would have Kara Lyn Evans, who was spontaneous and loyal, and Xavier Evans, who was observant and kind.

He would have Luna Lovegood, a true Seer, which would really help for the times ahead.

He would have Viktor Krum, someone who he barely knew, but was ready to help right away, and another celebrity.

He would have Fleur Delacour, a Veela, a spicy combination of all the houses.

He would have Neville Longbottom, a true Gryffindor, but without the brashness and idiocy.

He would have Fred Weasley, for the brashness, and George Weasley, for the business.

He would have Theodore Nott, who would plot and plan until the plan was carried out.

He would have Millicent Bulstrode, a girl who was much smarter than she looked.

He would have Pansy Parkinson, the one who would never let him go.

He would have Blaise Zabini, for the calmness he exempted on others, and his clear intelligence.

He would have Draco Malfoy, for all the humor that he brought to those he cared about, and all the support for those he cared for.

He would have so much more from Draco Malfoy.

Unless her intuition was wrong, Draco deeply desired the Boy-Who-Lived, but it should have been obvious, because the innuendos, the dry jokes-all Harry,and the pure tension that crackled when the two entered a room was startling. 

But they needed to take the boy -Harry- to the hospital wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pulvinus is Latin for "Cushion", and I used it as the incantation for the Cushioning Charm.  
> Ha ha, I'm a jerk sometimes, so I added a cliffhanger. Again. Sue me.  
> Comments are welcome, unless they are rude, then they aren't.  
> Please read!  
> THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT!


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